A DRUG expert has accused the UK Government of “repressive policies” and failing vulnerable drug users as he continued to back the use of drug “fix”rooms in Glasgow. amid an increase in HIV cases.
Roy Robertson, professor of addiction medicine at Edinburgh University, also accused the Scottish Government of behaving like a “back-bench” government with little commitment to addiction services.
Mr Robertson, who is chairman of Holyrood’s advisory group on Drug Related harm and is also a member of the Royal Medical Household, said the Home Office’s decision to reject “fix rooms” in Glasgow is indicative of a large-scale policy failure, while the HIV outbreak in Glasgow was “symptom of a failing system”.
Writing in a letter to the British Medical Journal, and co-signed by other leading experts, he said: “There can be no area of public health or medical practice that would allow such institutional and prejudicial neglect on this scale.”
As described in the Times, Mr Robertson also compared the UK Government’s response to the drug safe rooms as similar to that which led to the HIV and AIDS epidemic of the 1980s.
He said: “This approach resulted in a revolution in drug treatment and harm reduction policy, but cost the country and a generation of young people a legacy of harm.”
A safer drugs consumption facility, or “fix room” for Glasgow is backed by the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland and has also gathered cross-party support, though plans are currently on hold as a change in the law would be a needed before it can go ahead.
Mr Robertson also accused the Scottish Government “of behaving like a back-bench government – saying what they liked about others but at the same time cutting back on NHS treatment services with little real commitment to addiction services. He added: “We are keenly awaiting a new Scottish drug and alcohol strategy, which could make some real commitment to change and distance Scottish policy from the repressive policies of the Home Office.”
The Home Office reiterated its stance rejecting safe rooms, while the Scottish Government said the “forthcoming refreshed drug strategy “will ensure treatment and support better meet the needs of those who are most at risk.”
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